MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[tigerfanalso]

Congratulations to VWC and all of it's fans... Great season... Now your charge is to represent your school and your conference in the NCAA's.. do it with class and play to your ability and most importantly, have fun and enjoy the process...

If the right decision(s) are made, RMC will also be invited. Good luck to the Yellow Jackets in that process. From this Tiger Fan, you certainly deserve the opportunity.

I'll be in Salem to pull for either team/school if either one is fortunate enough to get that far !!!!

[baselinejam]

Someone asked about R-M being the Duke of the ODAC. Check out this website and you'll never want to be compared to dook again. It is long and amusing and as far as I'm concerned totally accurate !

http://terrapins.mostvaluablenetwork.com/general/the-anti-duke-manifesto

If you like the manifesto, you ought to read BlueBloods.  Great book on the UNC-Duke rivalry.  Other than the fact that both R-M and Duke are Methodist schools, and that the refs are "on our side" as alleged by some posters, I think the similarities end there!

It is an excellent book.

[Pat Coleman]

As Ralph Turner described it in August, the NCAA's tournament format proposal for a 58 team tourney "would have 10 sites featuring 4-teams playing single elimination on Friday and Saturday nights and the remaining 18 teams playing in 6 sub-brackets of the familiar visitor-home-bye format on Thursday and Saturday."  I assume that this proposal was adopted, but wonder if someone could confirm that?

I wrote a Daily Dose post last week that covered this:

http://www.d3hoops.com/dailydose/?p=127

59 teams, btw, not 58.

And actually, I wrote the Daily Dose post originally that Ralph picked up on and posted on the message board. There's valuable information on the blog, don't skip it.

[Ralph Turner]

Loving seeing the hot cheerleaders on the D3hoops front page with the VW players. I hope Amherst plays the Marlins in NCAA tournament.

Walzy, I had forgotten that you have been estranged from real Southern pulchritude.   

Can you really say that that Amherst education was truly worth the sacrifice of celibacy and isolation from the beauty and comfort of Southern ladies?

I know that I could not have made it without my lovely bride!

[GP87]

VWC is easily the class of the league.  They can play with anyone; hopefully they'll show that at the national level.  They have the talent, coaching, and leadership to go deep in the tournament. 

(Another note: They should be even better next year.)

I don't think Macon will make the tournament, even though they are probably competitive enough to be there.  There are teams like that every year.  Personally, I'd love to see R-MC in the tourney.  The more ODAC teams the better..


Yes >, as 3sdown said, the officiating of tonight's game was led by Roger Ayers, an ACC official. 

Just curious...Why don't you think they will make the tournament?  Pat is saying they are in pretty good shape. 

I'm still stuck in the old system, where it wasn't surprising for a team to get left out with a record like R-MCs.  I also can't shake the vision of the only live R-MC game I saw this year; it was the February 5th loss to VWC in which they were beat soundly in every aspect of the game.  They didn't look like a tourament team that game, down by 25 at one point and never leading.  That being said, Pat knows more about the new system than I do so he's probably right.  I hope they get in and play well.  It'd be wonderful (although not probable) to see a couple of ODAC teams in Salem.

[sludge]

What a tournament that was!  It was certainly no cakewalk for VWC.  I saw so many really good games.
Big thanks to the Rotary club there in Salem and Roanoke area.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the notion that a smaller venue in the future would be a more approriate container for the crowd and the energy?

[Jacketlawyer]

What a tournament that was!  It was certainly no cakewalk for VWC.  I saw so many really good games.
Big thanks to the Rotary club there in Salem and Roanoke area.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the notion that a smaller venue in the future would be a more approriate container for the crowd and the energy?

Got any proposals, Sludge?  I can't think of anything that immediately comes to mind that is as accessible as Salem is, let alone more appropriate.

[hasanova]

What a tournament that was!  It was certainly no cakewalk for VWC.  I saw so many really good games.  Big thanks to the Rotary club there in Salem and Roanoke area.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the notion that a smaller venue in the future would be a more approriate container for the crowd and the energy?

Got any proposals, Sludge?  I can't think of anything that immediately comes to mind that is as accessible as Salem is, let alone more appropriate.

Sludge, you're from Chapel Hill, so to heck with accessibility and appropriateness.  Call up Dean Smith and see if we can use the Dome!  Maybe we can even get a few hundred of Caleb and Ben's buddies to come.  lol 

All kidding aside, other than the suggestion for a modified format with the first round on the home court of the higher seeded team and then switching to a full weekend in Salem (semifinals Saturday and finals Sunday), I can't think of a better "neutral" venue that's the right size.  I would think college arenas in Blacksburg, Richmond, Harrisonburg, Norfolk (also not centally located), Charlottesville and even Lynchburg would be too difficult to book, too expensive and would exacerbate the space issue even more.

[3sdown]

Don't get me started on the ODAC venue issue.  The damn solution is to play the games at the higher seed all the way through the tournament.  As good as the game was last night in Salem it was ashame the environment couldn't have been more like a college environment.  There were maybe 20 students there for the game.  The loudest people in the gym were the "young" alumni of Rhoades Era.  Massive empty space in the place...Depressing looking back on it.

It is ashamed...Game at VWC or Macon would have produced an unbelievable environment...Instead we get a clown, a fiddle player, old folks...oh yeah, and powdered wigs, canes, and seat cushions.  Lord help me!

P.S. This post takes nothing away from the game, the players, the coaches, or the officials.  One hell of a game, but it would have been nice to have it at VWC or Macon even though I probably wouldn't have been able to go to either of those locations.

[Jacketlawyer]

I think the criticism is justified, 3sdown and Hasanova, but Salem is just too centrally located, with easy access off of a major interstate corridor.  With the exception of Randolph-Macon, and Virginia Wesleyan, all of the other schools are within a 150 mile radius (give or take) and thus within around a two hour drive and some quite a bit less.

I would imagine using a major university's facility would be problematic in more ways than one.

I think we got ourselves a marketing problem, here, fellas.  How about some ideas from that angle?

[hoopstermom]

The cost is right too.  Salem Civic Center uses mostly volunteer help to run the events, so labor costs are very low.

I've asked for over 10 years why the conference was always held there and that was always the main reason given.

[Jacketlawyer]

The cost is right too.  Salem Civic Center uses mostly volunteer help to run the events, so labor costs are very low.

I've asked for over 10 years why the conference was always held there and that was always the main reason given.

Costs ARE low.  A good point.  I bought a weekend pass for this tournament, expecting to pay around $40.  Only had to pay $20.  I got some great basketball for my bucks.

[baselinejam]

Don't get me started on the ODAC venue issue.  The damn solution is to play the games at the higher seed all the way through the tournament.  As good as the game was last night in Salem it was ashame the environment couldn't have been more like a college environment.  There were maybe 20 students there for the game.  The loudest people in the gym were the "young" alumni of Rhoades Era.  Massive empty space in the place...Depressing looking back on it.

It is ashamed...Game at VWC or Macon would have produced an unbelievable environment...Instead we get a clown, a fiddle player, old folks...oh yeah, and powdered wigs, canes, and seat cushions.  Lord help me!

P.S. This post takes nothing away from the game, the players, the coaches, or the officials.  One hell of a game, but it would have been nice to have it at VWC or Macon even though I probably wouldn't have been able to go to either of those locations.

Would the championship game have been as good if it were held a VW? I doubt it. The home court is a powerful benefit. I doubt VW's opponents would have played them as close on VW's court in the 2 prior games. Imagine the #1 seed set to probably play 3 in a row at home. How many visiting fans would you attract? Why would they show up at VW rather than come to Salem?  Playing on a neutral court is better for all the underdogs and better for the eventual champion. If you're going to make any noise in the NCAA's you have to get used to playing away from home for the big wins.

So please 3sdown (even though you kicked my butt in the pick'ems for the tourney) give it a rest. I for one think you're dead wrong on this topic.

[mr_divac]

WOW!!! i get sick for a few days, come back and read about how horrible my school, ouch, however i don't believe in all this back and forth stuff, anywayz, i just wanted to congradulate the Quakers on a mighty fine season, they had some ups and down and any young team would, but they had a great season. i look forward to returning next year, and filling whatever role Coach Palombo has for me. i guess not playing makes you appreciate the game more. i hope to play a large role, and help make Ben even more dominate by taking some attention off of him, but we are full of talent here, so every minute is going to be a battle, hopefully next year we can improve our "non tradition" lol!!
its been fun, hopefully i will see many of you next season!!

[3sdown]

Don't get me started on the ODAC venue issue.  The damn solution is to play the games at the higher seed all the way through the tournament.  As good as the game was last night in Salem it was ashame the environment couldn't have been more like a college environment.  There were maybe 20 students there for the game.  The loudest people in the gym were the "young" alumni of Rhoades Era.  Massive empty space in the place...Depressing looking back on it.

It is ashamed...Game at VWC or Macon would have produced an unbelievable environment...Instead we get a clown, a fiddle player, old folks...oh yeah, and powdered wigs, canes, and seat cushions.  Lord help me!

P.S. This post takes nothing away from the game, the players, the coaches, or the officials.  One hell of a game, but it would have been nice to have it at VWC or Macon even though I probably wouldn't have been able to go to either of those locations.

Would the championship game have been as good if it were held a VW? I doubt it. The home court is a powerful benefit. I doubt VW's opponents would have played them as close on VW's court in the 2 prior games. Imagine the #1 seed set to probably play 3 in a row at home. How many visiting fans would you attract? Why would they show up at VW rather than come to Salem?  Playing on a neutral court is better for all the underdogs and better for the eventual champion. If you're going to make any noise in the NCAA's you have to get used to playing away from home for the big wins.

So please 3sdown (even though you kicked my butt in the pick'ems for the tourney) give it a rest. I for one think you're dead wrong on this topic.

All I can say if VWC had a semi-final and Championship ODAC game in its gym IT is a sad state of affairs down at the VWC campus if the school couldn't pack the gym...I am not speaking about anything in relation to the team or the players, but that is SAD!  I know if Macon was the higher seed for the Semi-Finals and the Finals the gym would be at capacity.  Maybe that is just a difference in TRADITION.  Not sure? 

I hope if VWC gets home games or hosts one of these regional sites in this new NCAA Tournament that they are able to turn the people out b/c there team sure does deserve that support. 

And in regards to cost...Holding the games at the higher seed would cost very little other than staff time at the ODAC Schools.  So I am tired of hearing that excuse as well.  And I don't think anyone has mentioned the biggest joke of excuse in my mind:  The Final Four is played in Salem and it gives the ODAC a "heads-up" playing there for the Tournament.  What a joke...In my mind!

And most importantly I think we leave the students out of the EVENT.  At Macon when RMC receives a bid for the NCAA Tournament and gets a home game tickets are hard to come by...even for students, but the place is packed with students and it is a great environment.  I just think we have gotten away from our roots and I would like to see the attraction back on the ODAC Campuses (and the nice facilities these schools are building).  But, as you say, baselinejam, I will stop beating this dead horse until next year around the same time...I don't want Jim with his camera out looking for the carcus!